Recent Articles about Home Buying:

Budgeting for buying a home can be difficult enough when you’re just weighing mortgage options and a purchase price. But there are many other factors that go into the cost of homeownership. Some of them are one-time expenses that you’ll pay during the home buying process, while others will be recurring costs for as long as you own the home. Factor these hidden costs… Read more »

When you own your home, things are going to break and, unless you want to spend your money on visits from a neighborhood handyman, you’re going to need to fix them yourself. Luckily, you don’t need an arsenal of tools to handle most home maintenance fixes. These nine tools will cover most of your basic projects. 1. Screwdriver Set – A simple screwdriver is… Read more »

April 16, 2018 | By Guest Author: Cindy Aldridge

It seems as though there are countless things to do on moving day. Making sure everything you own is packed and boxed up is just one step among many. You have to see that pieces of furniture wind up in the right rooms, pack an overnight bag, make sure you have keys to your new home, and do a final walk-through in your old… Read more »

The City of Santa Cruz is working on enacting a new city ordinance that places more regulations on privately owned sewer laterals. A sewer lateral is an underground pipe that connects a home to the main city sewer line under the street. The sewer lateral is the homeowner’s responsibility to maintain, not the city’s. What is the ordinance? This ordinance will require sewer laterals… Read more »

Are Realtors really worth the commission? What do they do, anyway? Let’s look at some of the big ways using a Realtor can benefit you. Reason 1: Team of Professionals Already in Place When you use a qualified Realtor, they come with a proven team that already knows how to work together to achieve your goals. This includes professionals such as lenders, inspectors, a… Read more »

When you rent a home, you are working to build your landlord’s wealth instead of your own. Unlike rent payments, mortgage payments put money directly into your pocket as equity. The benefits of owning a home are endless, and on the top of the list is gaining equity for your future. Not sure if you qualify for a mortgage? The only way to find… Read more »

Mistake 1: Not Getting Fully Pre-Approved Before Making an Offer to Purchase In today’s competitive market, it is common for sellers to receive multiple offers to purchase their property. If your offer is contingent on your ability to qualify for a loan, it will not stand up to offers from buyers who have been pre-approved for funding. Plus, if you haven’t nailed down the… Read more »

Are capital gains taxes keeping you from downsizing? A 1031 Exchange might be the solution you are looking for. What Is A 1031 Exchange? The 1031 Exchange is a legal way to avoid paying taxes. This tax strategy gets its name from Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code, which allows you to postpone paying taxes on gains from the sale of a property… Read more »

We recommend all our buyers get pre-approved before beginning their home search. Knowing how much you can spend on a home reduces the potential frustration of looking at homes that may be out of reach. When it comes time to submit an offer on a home, being pre-approved for financing makes your offer more attractive to sellers in today’s competitive market. We want our… Read more »